TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. WE beg to decline the proposed list of turf defaulters: it is not our design to publish a swindling calendar. We are obliged by the communication from Thornbury. The first item was certainly a sad "lapsus lingua," as the waiter said who spilt a leg of mutton into a commercial gentleman's" lap. Our Glasgow correspondent is very concise: we cannot send the work he requires, which we regret. The paper proposed would certainly be acceptable, if up to the spirit of the times. The correction suggested in the Kilruddery Hunt is, no doubt, the proper reading, of which we were aware when we copied that song from Mr. Croker's" Popular Songs of Ireland." For "Five couple of terriers were hard at his brush," it should have been "Five couple of tartars,” &c. We felt bound to give the text as we found it, which, however, is very faulty in many places: we hope to see a new and revised edition of that pleasant volume. How did the editor fall into the strange error, for a literary Irishman, of confounding the universally known Richard Power, of Kilkenny Private Theatrical fame, with Mr. Richard Power, of Clashmore House, in the County of Waterford !! (See page 207.) Surely he ought to have known, that the Richard Power was the brother of that truly popular country gentleman and excellent sportsman, John Power, of Kilfane. Several articles, in type, are omitted in consequence of the length of the paper on the "Right and Tenure of Country as regards Fox-hunting." They shall have early insertion. Some that arrived on the 24th, would have been too late under any circumstances. Several books and engravings have been sent to us, notices of which must also be deferred till next month. One of the latter, however, cannot be so postponed, from its present interest. We allude to Mr. Hancock's admirable portrait of Deception, published by Ackermann, of Regent-street. As a likeness, certainly no existing work of the sort can bear comparison with it. Fulwar Craven, and "Craven," are, in this opinion, unanimous; and of those who have seen the work, and are in a condition to form a correct judgment, so say all." Volume I. of the SPORTING REVIEW, bound in fancy cloth boards, lettered, may now be had at all booksellers, price 16s. 6d. Also proof impressions of all the plates that have appeared in that work, are on sale at the publisher's, at 2s. each. We are not sure that we understand our correspondent who writes about "The Potentate." Surely he does not expect that we will send an artist to the north for the purpose he recommends. If he wishes to explain we shall be happy to hear from him again. RIGHT AND TENURE OF COUNTRY, AS REGARDS FOX-HUNTING: WITH OPINIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT POINTS, BY THE DUKES OF RICHMOND AND BEAUFORT; LORDS TAVISTOCK, MORETON, SEGRAVE, MUNSTER, ERROL; SIR JOHN COPE; MESSRS. LEE STEERE, POYNTZ, KING, NAPPER, &c. &c. ANNEXED TO THE CLAIM TO THE PETWORTH DISTRICT OF SUSSEX, AT PRESENT IN DISPUTE BETWEEN COLONEL G. WYNDHAM AND MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY WYNDHAM. NEXT to an issue which should affect the actual right of property, we do not believe that a social question could arise more deeply interesting to the higher classes of this country (especially those connected with its rural life), than one which should involve the existence or annihilation of fox-hunting. Clashings of personal interests, cases of individual ill-will, party feelings, and local intrigues, have, in too many instances, interfered with the prosperity of the chase. The late controversy between the Duke of Beaufort and Mr. Horlock, for instance, threatened to be "a heavy blow and a great discouragement" to the good cause; but, fortunately, the storm did not the mischief it boded. The present collision between Colonel George and General Henry Wyndham, however, has assumed a character far different from any by which it has been preceded. It has brought forward the great sporting question, " By what tenure is a fox-hunting country held?" and it puts the public in possession of the opinions of many of the leading authorities upon that vital inquiry. How far those sentiments agree with the general feeling time will shew; how far we concur in them it is our duty to declare in this place. Who is he that voluntarily incurs the office most obnoxious to captious interference, and the greatest measure of trouble from the greatest number of sources of any man in his county ?-The Master of Foxhounds. Who is he that "should never have his hand out of his pocket, and always have a guinea in it?"-The Master of Foxhounds. Who is he whose business it is to provide for the pleasures of every one save himself?-The Master of Foxhounds. And is there no return to be made for such outlay of time, treasure, and convenience as this? Does any man exist, who supposes a rational being would undertake the occupation of a country (with its train of responsibilities and liabilities), much less the construction of one, on a lease during caprice? Make it law that possession (entered upon when a district has been left without hounds from any cause, and recognised by a majority of the representatives of property within it) gives no right of occupancy, and farewell to English fox-hunting. High rank and commanding resources may enable their representative to lay the turf at his feet; he may buy horses to win for himself, or to lose for others; but neither the station nor the means of any man may enable him so to deal with fox-hunting. The social enjoyments of a community, in these days, must not-shall not-depend upon the will or the humour of any member of it. The annexed statement will supply the application of these remarks, which, with one brief observation, we will leave to plead for itself. The issue of this contest is in their hands, for whose gratification the Petworth and Sladeland countries have been hunted gratuitously by General Wyndham. Let them be firm: let them preserve foxes on every inch of territory pertaining to themselves, or on which they can obtain authority to do so, and still shall they possess a fox-hunting establishment, in which the desire to shew sport is only second to the munificence and courtesy of its hospitality. No. 1. Copy of a letter from Colonel Wyndham to J. King, Esq. MY DEAR KING, Petworth, April 13th, 1839. I do not know to whom I can more properly address myself upon the subject of the inclosed papers, than yourself, and I shall be greatly obliged by your perusal of them, and by your handing them to whoever you may think interested in the subject of them. The coverts and farms near to Petworth, under the present system of hunting, are subject to the stain of two packs of hounds, and the fields to be rode over by a double number of horses, and that twice as often as is fair upon either, besides the almost certainty of the hounds and horses clashing every time both packs meet, to the north, east, or west of Petworth. I am sure you will see the inconvenience of the above, and the propriety of its having an end. Petworth, March 21st, 1839. A question having arisen as to my right of drawing certain coverts, not only my actual property, but some of them within little more than a mile from my kennel, I am induced to lay the following statement before persons conversant with the customs which regulate hunting. My father, Lord Egremont, for many years kept hounds at Petworth, and hunted not only all the coverts belonging to the estate, but the whole of what is called the Petworth country, situated in every direction from Petworth. In the year 1817, he re-established the pack of hounds which I now have, and which I have always managed, and I have ever considered them his property until his death; all expenses from first to last having been paid by him. Some years subsequent to 1817, my brother Charles got some hounds for the purpose of hunting deer in the neighbourhood of Petworth, keeping them at my father's kennel, but soon got tired of them, when General Wyndham took them to his house, and gradually began to hunt foxes; but on his going to Portugal in 1826, the hounds were sold; my father then asked me if I could hunt the country to the north of Petworth, and my answer was, that I feared I could not do it, so as to give satisfaction to all, but that I would do so occasionally. Ön General Wyndham's return from Portugal he again collected some hounds, and although my father disapproved (as he did on the former occasion) of two packs being kept, he was induced to contribute £100 a-year toward their support; but, in so doing, he never contemplated giving up the right which the possessor of Petworth has of hunting his own coverts; and this is the question which is now at issue between myself and one gentleman, who, at the commencement, subscribed a few pounds towards General Wyndham's hounds, and who continues to hunt with them without subscribing. I believe three gentlemen were the original subscribers, to the amount in all of about £100; but one of these withdrew very shortly after, and none of them are subscribers now. The gentleman above alluded to waited upon me in the month of December last, in consequence of the two packs meeting accidentally at a covert, called Flexham Park, my property, and distant a little more than a mile from my kennel, and protested against my right to draw it. I was unwilling, during the hunting season, to take any steps to have this point decided; but as the season is now over, I request your opinion, whether, as representative of Lord Egremont, and residing at Petworth, I am not justified in resuming, in a hunting point of view, my own coverts, which have invariably belonged to the possessor of this property, and been hunted by him. The hounds which I have managed for Lord Egremont, since 1817, have constantly hunted a part of what is called the Petworth country on every side, except the north, which was considered too distant from where the hounds were kept. No. 3. Badminton, Wednesday, March 27th. MY DEAR George WyndHAM, Your case is similar to mine, except that you stand on even higher grounds than I did. I have sent your statement to Segrave, and I will have a copy made of it, and send it to one or two other masters of hounds; and I should think there are not two masters of hounds in Great Britain who would not decide in your favourI believe not one. I cannot conceive that there can be a doubt on your question -the country must be yours, and cannot by possibility belong to any one else. I will return you the statement as soon as I receive it back from Segrave. Gloucester, April 1st, 1839. MY DEAR BEAUFORT, I have read with great attention George Wyndham's statement, and unless any one can shew that it is an incorrect one, I cannot entertain a doubt of his right, to use his own words "in a hunting point of view," to resume when he pleases the country and coverts to which he refers. Ever faithfully yours, SEGRAVE. No. 5. MY DEAR BEAUFORT, Woburn Abbey, April 10th, 1839. Having read Colonel Wyndham's statement, which you put into my hands a few days ago, I think that he is clearly entitled, under the circumstances therein related, to the exclusive possession, as a hunting country, of the coverts and districts to which it refers. |